By Request

After my previous post, I had a request for a few samples of my favorite depressing songs. Seeing as this request came from possibly my only reader, I find it important to keep her happy. So here's my top ten in all its glory.

1. Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright: Set Fire To The Third Bar-The soulful piano and beautiful voices of both Gary Lightbody and Martha Wainwright would put you in a trance even if they were singing about diaper changes. Of course, they aren't. They sing of a doomed relationship, perhaps a long-distance one. The great thing about these lyrics is that they are just vague enough to be able to apply to many different situations. The listener can take their own interpretation of the lyrics. For me this song is about the person who you can never get; the unrequited love.

"I'm miles from where you are. I lay down, on the cold ground. I pray that something picks me up, and sets me down, in your warm arms."

Listen To Sample

2. Bright Eyes: Gold Mined Gutted-Nearly anything by Bright Eyes has a tendency to twist the knife a little bit in your wallowing. To me, this song is all about always being so close to what you want, but never being able to get it. It's about you being your own worst enemy. The song itself is a tad eerie but not as whiny as people often claim Bright Eyes to be. Great song.

"From the sidelines, you see me run, until I'm out of breath. Living the good life, I'm left for dead. The sorrowful midwest, well I did my best, to keep my head."

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3. Under The Influence of Giants-Lay Me Down-I can't say enough about this band. Every song is wonderful in its own way. The self-titled album boasts many songs that will make you dance. This one, however, is much slower and originally drew me to the band. This song is about getting comfort from a loved one. Or wanting comfort that you can't get. Love the music, love the vocals, just all in all, great song.

"Give me a sign, say it's okay. Need it to make it through the day. Give me your hand, sell me your soul. I need it so I can feel controlled."

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4. Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (Live Version)-Oh man. This song. This song has some serious personal reasons for my adoration. It's about something ending but instead of being mad, and 'looking back in anger', you remember the good times and keep it holy for what it once was. The lyrics, "You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out" are carved on the backside of my iPod. One of my favorite songs of all time. And one of the most heart-breaking.

"You said that you've never been, but all the things that you've seen, are gonna fade away. So we start a revolution from my bed, cause you said the brains I had, went to my head. Step outside, the summertime's in bloom. Stand up beside the fireplace, take that look from off your face, cause you ain't ever gonna burn my heart out. And so Sally can wait, she knows it's too late as we're walking on by. Her soul slides away. 'Don't look back in anger', I heard you say."

Listen To Sample

Even better, the MTV Unplugged performance of this song.



5. Stars: Elevator Love Letter-Wow, another one of my favorites. To me, this song is about getting so caught up in work, and forgetting about the other aspects of your life. I'm sure this song could be taken in many ways, but that's the one that resonates most with me. Taking it at it's most literal. The song is a little more upbeat, but the melancholy vocals will break your heart.

"I'm so high for a rich girl, my heels are high, my eyes cast low. And I don't know how to love. I get too tired after midday, maybe. I take it out on my good friends, but the worst days end. Oh where would I begin?"

Listen To Sample

6. The Knife: Heartbeats-Okay all of these are in my favorites so I'm going to stop repeating that. This song is a little more upbeat in the tempo, but again, the lyrics are beautifully depressing. To me it's about a broken engagement, or promise, and the intensity that follows such a parting. A huge fight or a passionate Friends-style bonus night. Again, different interpretations. The vocals are just so touching, you think that in some parts of the song, the singer's voice is cracking. If you can't feel the emotions in this one, I'd ask about your sanity. But, hey, I'm not judging.

"One night to be confused, one night to speed up truth. We had a promise made, four hands and then away. Both under influence, we had divine scent, to know what to say. Mind is a razor blade. To cry for hands up above, to lean on, wouldn't be good enough for me, no."

I couldn't find a sample online, plus the video is super-amazing, so I just embedded it here. I'd watch once with your eyes closed, and then the second time, watching the actual video.



7. Will Oldham: New Partner-This song may not be as much depressing as it is, moving. It's almost a love song, but with such a tender beat and the groveling voice of Will Oldham, I find myself wanting to listen to this song more when I'm depressed than I'd expect. It's beautiful, and even though it is such a sweet and peaceful subject matter, it makes me want to cry.

"There's a black tinted sunset with the prettiest of skies
Lay back, lay back, rest your head on my thighs
There is some awful action that just breathes from my hand
Just breaths from a deed so exquisitely grand.

And you are always on my mind

Well, I would not have moved if I knew you were here
Its some special action with motives unclear
Now you'll haunt me, you'll haunt me
Till I've paid for what I've done
It's a payment which precludes the having of fun

And you are always on mind
But hello, I've got a new partner riding with me
I'v got a new partner, hello

Now the sun's fading faster, we're ready to go
There's a skirt in the bedroom that's pleasantly low
And the loons on the moor, the fish in the flow
And my friends, my friends still will whisper hello
We all know what we know, it's a hard swath to mow
When you think like a hermit you forget what you know

And you are always on my mind
I've got a new partner, riding with me
I've got a new partner now."

Again, no sample. I included all of the lyrics because all I could find for a sample was this live version. It's Will Oldham, aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy, performing the song:



8. Camera Obscura: Books Written For Girls-I'm tempted to write all of the lyrics down for this one. Whew, it's amazing. A little gem I found accidentally, but couldn't have come at a better time in my life. It's about disappointment, whether you are the disappointed or disappointer. It's about how things can appear to be one way, but in reality, it's much different. It's about that heartbreak that follows being let down. Just an amazing, touching song. And yes, I will include all of the lyrics because really, it is that good.

"You can compliment me on the style of my hair
GIve me marks out of ten for the clothes that I wear
You probably thought I had more upstairs.

I disappoint you.
Can't see through your perfect smile.

He likes to read books written for girls.
He prides himself on being a man of the world.
In the darkest of places he gets his thrills.

He will disappoint you
If you see through his perfect smile.

I think separation is okay.
You're no star to guide me anyway.
You only wanted me to play,
A fool...played by your rules.

Now my door has swollen from the rain.
God knows we'll never see her face again.
People get shattered in many ways.

They can disappoint you.
When you see through
Their perfect smile."


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I got the song below from Camera Obscura's official site. It is a haunting remix of "Books Written For Girls". Enjoy this! It's simply amazing.

Listen

9. Death Cab For Cutie: A Lack of Color-Okay, this song is fantastic. I used to hate this band, for no real reason unfortunately. I just thought they were overhyped and had become too much of a symbol for that revolution of "indie-pop" that I so loathed. One day, I was at a friend's house and this song came on. I had to know who this band was. Of course, it ended up being none other than Death Cab. It didn't take me long to find many songs of theirs that I enjoyed and I quickly threw out all that I thought I knew of indie-pop. I apologized to the band for not giving them a chance sooner and vowed not to make that mistake again. "A Lack of Color" remains one of my favorites. It's about how we take things for granted, be it the amazing way our bodies work, ("...I really see you upside down. But my brain knows better, it picks you up and turns you around..."), or the people that we love and forget to appreciate. For me, this song is all about not knowing what you got till it's gone. Heartbreaking.

"All the girls in every girly magazine, can't make me feel any less alone. I'm reaching for the phone, to call a 703, on your machine, I slur a plea for you to come home. But I know it's too late, I should have given you a reason to stay."

Listen To Sample

10.Sufjan Stevens: For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti-This is a classic and always makes it on my lists of depressing music. Amazing use of banjo and a wonderful voice. This song can mean so many different things. It is definitely religiously driven, but in an unobtrusive way. It could also be about a love and all that applies there. There's also a story floating around the internet that when this song was played live, the explanation of it was that Sufjan visited a town in Michigan called Paradise. It was an odd little town and there seemed to be no men. He said that he wrote this song, devising this story in his head that all the men had died in war, and the women were left behind and formed this community of mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, and friends. They had their own world and took over.

With any interpretation, it's beautiful.

"I was dressed embarrassment. I was dressed in wine. If you had a part of me, will you take you're time? Even if I come back, even if I die, is there some idea to replace my life?"

Listen To Sample

As I finish this, I find still have more to add. There's so much wonderful music in this world! I love it. I'm sure more of these lists will come along in the future. Keep an eye out.